Feel the Heat at these Saunas by the Sea in Cornwall

Photo courtesy of Olla Hiki, Fistral

Fire up your winter and spring beach days with a sauna beside the waves. Whether you’ve been on a brisk beach walk, braved an icy-cold dip, or been out capturing the crisp Cornish scenery on camera, there’s no better way to warm up than in a sizzling-hot sauna with a cracking sea view.

Originally invented by the Finns as communal spaces for getting together, relaxing and cleansing in harsh Nordic winters, mobile saunas are popping up on beaches all over Cornwall. 

As well as being a welcome sight on a cold day, these hot boxes are becoming quite the place to unwind.  They offer all sorts of health and wellbeing benefits, including improved circulation, enhanced detoxification, a reduction of muscle inflammation, and a boost to the immune system. 

Plus, when you know you’re returning to a sauna, you won’t bat an eyelid at the thought of getting cold on some chilly beach adventures. 

So, here are five saunas by the sea in Cornwall where you can feel the heat by the beach this winter.

Saunas by the Sea, Polzeath and Harlyn, Nr Padstow

If you’re seeking a warm winter oasis on a pair of the prettiest beaches near Padstow, Saunas by the Sea have popped their wood-fired saunas right beside the waves at Harlyn Bay and Baby Bay, Polzeath. As you recharge and relax with gob-smacking views, you’ll feel the heat in your bones, whatever the weather’s doing outside. Plus, with the waves just footsteps away in both locations, you might well be tempted out of your little hot box for a cooling surf or sea dip.

Sensory Spa Garden, Mawgan Porth, Nr Padstow

Hike up the cliffs from the surf-lashed sands of Mawgan Porth, and before you reach the iconic rock giants at Bedruthan Steps, you’ll come across a sensory spa garden where you can indulge in a few luxury trimmings with your wave-side sauna experience. As well as a sauna with stunning sea views, the alfresco Nordic-inspired Cornish wellbeing experience at Bedruthan Hotel also comes with an exfoliating body scrub, cold bucket drench, hot tub and foot soak beside the fire. Bliss. 

Olla Hiki, Fistral Beach, Newquay

Renowned as Cornwall’s surfing capital, you’ll see neoprene-clad wave riders at Newquay’s Fistral Beach almost every day of the year. And now that Olla Hiki has a wood-fired sauna burning on its shoreline until May, there’s no need for the winter temperatures to put you off joining the winter surfing warriors. Of course, if you’re still not sold on hitting the waves, you can just spectate from your cosy sauna at the water’s edge and get your coldwater fix from the bucket drench. Little treats such as salt scrubs, essential oils and birch whisk massages are available, and check the calendar for special events such as breathwork sessions, sound baths and full moon rituals!

Ocean Soul Sauna, Summerleaze, Bude, North Cornwall

The buzzing beach town of Bude is packed with boutiques and beaches and is well worth a visit when you’re staying in and around Padstow. Back in the 1930s, the 90-metre Bude Sea Pool opened to much applause on Summerleaze Beach and, to this day, provides a safe haven for swimmers year-round. And now that Ocean Soul Sauna has popped their sauna on the sand nearby, there’s no excuse not to venture in for a chilly dip before warming your cockles with a view over the beach.

Wild Spa at St Moritz, Trebetherick, Nr Polzeath

Perched on a cliffside between Daymer Bay and Polzeath, the Wild Spa at St Moritz takes you on an invigorating journey through hot and cold therapies, maximising the wellbeing benefits of these ancient treatments. So it’s well worth stopping in on a wild winter coastal walk to steam in the Lithuanian-style wood-fired sauna, dip in a trio of hot tubs, plunge in the pool, and drench yourself under cold showers. With stunning cliff views, fire pits and cosy tipis with cocktails on tap, this ‘wild’ spa is a luxurious way to embrace the elements this winter.

Take a Relaxing Break by the Sea in Cornwall

Now you know where to feel the glow by the coast, why not book your next break to Cornwall? Choose one of our handpicked collection of holiday cottages in North Cornwall, and get cosy beside the sea this winter or spring.